Old and Young
by Moonsetta
Summary: It's genetic testing. Who's oldest? Youngest? Who's 15? 16? 17? What secrets do memories hold?
1. Chapter 1

Sigh. I have found yet, ANOTHER old story, just gathering an overload of virtual dustbunnies on my external hardrive. I've cleaned it out plenty of times, but I always end up missing something. Well, I found this old story, it's done, finished and completed. So I thought I would go ahead and post it. I may go back and re-edit some chapters later but for now, I'll just post it. I'll try to post one chapter every two days.

Now...

I've read countless stories about this genetic testing. The turtles finding out who's really the oldest, and the youngest. These stories have become so predictable, it's either Mikey turns out to be the oldest and/or Leo turns out to be the youngest. Ok everyone, ironic conclusions are good ideas, as long as they're not worn out.

Unfortunately, this is something that has been soaked, twisted, drained out, dried out, zap fried and then continually frozen to be used repeatedly throughout time. Well, I'm a typical fan, I want to write a story covering the idea of the actual age of the brothers, but I have my own angle for this story.

So if you're interested, EAT ON! Oh, I mean READ ON! Sorry, I'm currently eating a large pizza, supreme if you must know.

*Shakes Magic 8 ball.* "Do I own TMNT?"

Result: No

"Darn!" *Tosses magic 8 ball out window*

* * *

Raph punched away at his punching bag, the anxiety was killing him. He had a million questions running through his head. What if he was the youngest? He would never live it down! What if he was the oldest? Would Splinter make him the leader? What if Mikey was the oldest? That made Raph freeze. There was absolutely no freaking way he was following Mikey. What if Don was the oldest? He wouldn't want to be the leader. Is the oldest automatically the leader? What if Leo was the youngest? He really couldn't grasp that idea, he and the others always looked up to Leo. Completely aggravated he took it out the swinging bundle of sand and leather in front of him. Why did Don wait until they were 15 to do the testing? Wait, but what if they weren't really 15, what if they were like 16 or 17?

Ok, he was falling off the edge here… -_-'

* * *

"Is it ready yet Donny?" Mikey asked as he looked over his brother's shoulder at the symbols on his computer although he couldn't understand them.

"No Mikey the test results won't be ready for another half an hour. Why don't you go check on the others?"

"Sure, possible little brother," Mikey said with a smile and dashed out the room with a wide grin.

Don sighed, "What have I unleashed?"

* * *

"Come on Leo aren't you curious?' Mikey asked.

Leo took a drink of his tea and then placed it down on the table next to the chair he was sitting in and reached up to turn a page in the book he was reading, "No."

"Come on!" Mikey whined, "Don't you want to know?"

"If you would've asked me last year, yes, but I've learned it doesn't matter. I'll always be the leader, you'll always be the goofball, Raph will always be the hothead and Don will always be the brain."

"Aren't you at least curious if we're really brothers?"

"We'll always be brothers Mikey, I don't care what genetics say."

Mikey sighed and went over to where Raph was working out his frustrations on his punching bag.

"Hey Raphie!"

"I told you not to call me that!" Raph yelled, his frustration seeping through his gaze.

"But you'll have to get used to it if you're our baby brother."

"Mikey leave Raph alone," Leo ordered.

"Why should I listen to my possible little brother?"

Leo sighed, "Good evening Master Splinter," he said to a dark corner.

"Michelangelo, the dojo, thirty flips," Splinter commanded, "If you will not listen to your leader and future head of this family, then you will listen to your father."

Raph scowled at Mikey's retreating shell and turned back to his punching bag, talking through the smacks of his hands against the sand filled leather, "So you're really not curious?"

"No," Leo said and reached out to take another drink of his tea.

* * *

Half an hour later Don's voice rang out, "The tests are done!"

Mikey sped into the living room, Master Splinter walking behind him. Raph gave a final punch to his punching bag and walked over and sat on the couch next to Leo. If Leo could be so cool headed about this, like everything, then he could too. Don walked out of his lab, holding a folded up sheet of paper.

"Now I haven't looked yet," Don said, "I figure we should all look at them together."

Mikey was bouncing with excitement, Raph was trying to hold his curiosity in and Leo was closing the book he had just finished.

"Do you want to do the honors sensei?" Don asked as Splinter's expression remained blank.

Nevertheless, the elderly rat reached out and took the paper.

"I had the program print our names out, oldest to youngest so it's easy to understand," explained Don.

"I believe one of you should have this honor," Splinter said and turned to his blue masked son, "Leonardo?"

"No thanks," Leo said, getting to his feet, "I don't care what's on that paper sensei. In fact I don't even want to know. We're still brothers, still a family. I'm going out for a run in the sewers."

"I am proud of you my son," Splinter said through his thoughts.

"Thank you sensei," Leo said back through their minds.

When Leo was gone Mikey turned back to the paper, "Come on sensei, open it!"

"Very well," Splinter said and unfolded the paper.

"Hmm, interesting…" he mused.

"What?" the three turtles shouted.

"My sons, I fear…"

"Yes?"

_To Be Continued..._

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Ha! How many guessed I would end it there? Show of hands?

Well, chapter two will be posted tomorrow.

See everyone later!

~Moonsetta


	2. Chapter 2

Ok I will repeat what I said in the first chapter. The idea of Mikey being the oldest, or Leo or Raph being the youngest have become too pridictable! Like I said before as well, ironic conclusions are good ideas, as long as they're not worn out.

I've been tracking down these kind of stories where the turtles find out thier ages and I will say right now, that I've found a total of 19.

In 12 of these, Leo is made the technical youngest of the group.

In 5 others, Raph has turned out to be the youngest.

In the remaining 2, Don has been the youngest.

Mikey was the oldest in 9 of the 12 where Leo was the youngest. He was also the oldest in 3 of the 5 where Raph was the youngest. He was the oldest brother in one of the 2 stories where Don was the youngest.

People always jump at these possible age level stories. I'm now beginnning to see why I didn't post this story in the first place. -_-' Anyways, I don't like copying these ideas, my twist is so simple that no one could possibly even have guessed it. Really, this is a story like all the other stories where the turtles find out who's older and younger, but with my own twist.

This result is a completely new angle I have NEVER seen be used in this type of story.

Well, enough drag, read on people! ^_^

*Shakes magic 9 ball* Do I own TMNT?

Result: No Way

Darn it! *Throws magic 9 ball into fireplace*

* * *

_Recap:_

_When Leo was gone Mikey turned back to the paper, "Come on sensei, open it!"_

_"Very well," Splinter said and unfolded the paper._

_"Hmm, interesting…" he mused._

_"What?" the three turtles shouted._

_"My sons, I fear…"_

_"Yes?"_

* * *

Splinter placed the paper face up on the table in front of the TVs, "We were right all along. Now if you will excuse me, I have to ready for my evening meditation with my eldest son."

As Splinter walked away, the three turtle stared down at the paper.

Oldest to youngest:

1. Leonardo

2. Raphael

3. Donatello

4. Michelangelo

"Hah!" Raph cheered, "I knew I was older than you," he said, facing at Don.

"How can that be? I'm much more mature than you," Don said to Raph.

"Aw man, I wanted a little brother," Mikey said with a classic pout.

After a few minutes of arguing back and forth Raph finally brought up the question, "So, we all know who's the oldest but how old is each of us?"

Don picked up the paper, "Looks like Leo's older than you by six months Raph, you're older than me," Don said in a strained voice, "By two months, and I'm older than Mikey by one month. So technically, since it's March tenth, Leo's already 16 while we're still 15."

"So when are our actual birthdays?"

Don turned the sheet over, "Hm, Leo's is March the fifth, Raph's is September the third, mine is November the eighth and Mikey, whoa-"

"What?" the orange masked turtle asked.

"Mikey, you were born/hatched at 11:58 pm on December twenty-forth. Your birthday is Christmas."

"YAY! Double the presents!" Mikey yelled dancing around wildly.

"I'm starting to agree with Leo on this," Raph muttered, watching his baby brother bounce around like a hyper pinball, "Ignorance is bliss."

"Hey Mikey!" Don called, "Don't you still want to know if we're brothers?"

"Yeah," Mikey called calming himself down enough to walk back to them.

"Ok," Don said and glanced down near the bottom of the paper, "Whoa, ok well, I should have expected that but just, wow."

"What?" Raph asked.

"Um," Don said looking up at them, "Ok, guys. We're brothers."

"Awesome dude!"

"Then why are you acting like that?" Raph asked, seeing his immediate younger brother's expression, turn from curious to dumbstruck.

"Guys, when I say we're brothers, I mean we three, are brothers. Leo's DNA isn't like ours, he's not our brother."

This hit something deep in all of them. Raph was the first to shake it off, "Well, like Leo says, who cares. We're still brothers. I'm starting to see his point. It doesn't matter."

"Well, yeah, I agree with Raph," Mikey said, "Who cares? Leo's always been there for us. Since when are we normal? We're teenagers anyways, we shouldn't listen to genetics."

"Guys, it's not that I think Leo shouldn't be our brother, he is, but I'm curious now. The pet shop we came from, yes, I've tracked it, is amazingly still in business and the thing is, the facility that they get their reptiles from ship them to them via nests."

"So?" Mikey asked.

"So if Leo isn't our brother, how did he get into our nest?"

To Be Continued...

* * *

Uh oh...someone must have a secret. ^_^

Oh well, review please. Tell me if you liked the idea of building up all the tension like that and then BAM! Giving the same results you've always seen in my stories.

Time for popcorn! BYE!

~Moonsetta


	3. Chapter 3

Ok, I'm updating a lot tonight because, three days ago was my birthday and my party is today! YAY! So my readers, enjoy the updates!

I don't own TMNT.

* * *

"I don't remember much from when I was a normal turtle," Raph said.

"Maybe Master Splinter could like do some mystic magic stuff and make us remember," Mikey said.

"Yeah, we can cut in on he and Leo's meditation session tonight," Don said.

"I don't know guys, maybe this is something best left alone," Raph said.

Don was already in the kitchen where Splinter was making tea while Mikey was in the doorway, turning back for a second to face Raph, "Dude, you're starting to sound like Leo."

"I just don't think it's a very good idea!" Raph called after them but shook his head as Mikey ducked into the kitchen as well.

* * *

"They're going to what?" Leo asked, meeting his immediate younger brother in the doorway.

"They're seeing if Master Splinter can help with their memories from when we were all normal turtles," Raph explained, "They were planning on cutting in on your and sensei's meditation session tonight."

"Not to be rude Raphael but why are telling me in advance?"

Raph shrugged as he leaned against the wall, "I don't know, just got a weird feeling saying that this is something better left unsaid. Ignorance is bliss."

Leo looked up as the dojo door slid open and Mikey came out, eyes widening when he saw his older brothers, "Guys come on, meditation is about to start."

Mikey ducked back into the dojo, yelling behind him, "Sensei says to hurry!"

Raph looked back at his older brother and noticed the haunted look in his eyes and his lack of breath for the next few seconds.

"Leo," Raph said sharply, causing the blue clad turtle to dig his way out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You ok bro?" Raph asked, stepping forward to put a steady hand on Leo's shoulder, "You look pale all of a sudden."

Leo shook his head, "I'll be fine, let's go."

"Ok, but if you pass out on us I'm not dragging your shell to the infirmary."

Leo smiled, "Glad to see you're still yourself, so I guess the test results made you happy?"

"Yep, I knew I older than Donny."

"Didn't doubt it for a second."

"Really?"

Leo nodded, "You've always acted like a big brother to both of them."

"Even to me on some occasions," Leo thought in his head.

They both entered the dojo to find their family sitting in the meditation area.

"Raphael, Leonardo, I'm glad you have joined us," Splinter said, motioning to the open meditation mats next to their younger brothers.

They shuffled to the mats and sat down in the lotus position, before closing their eyes and entering the far recesses of their minds, each them meditating their own way. Splinter released his spiritual energy helping guide his three youngest to their lost memories while Leonardo simply reflected on the day. There was no need for him to recount his memories for he already had, many years ago when he had grown curious of their short life of being normal turtles. The younger turtles started fidgeting as their memories became unlocked and emerged from their minds.

* * *

Alright, the memories will come through the next few chapters.

See ya!

~Moonsetta


	4. Chapter 4

I've decided to update! YAY!

Well, let's see these unlocked memories. Raph is up first! Cause he's just awesome!

I don't own TMNT. *Gathers action figures and holds them close before chanting.* I think I'll own them. I think I'll own them.

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**(Short) RECAP:**

****

The younger turtles started fidgeting as their memories became unlocked and emerged from their minds...

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Raph found himself walking through a desert, nothing but sand as far as he could see. He chose one direction, relying on instinct, and walked on for what seemed like miles until he spotted something in the distance. Three white objects and one green. He started running towards them, once he could make out that the scene was a baby turtle lying by a pile of eggs he sudden found himself fading from existence.

"_Wait!" he called before a bright white flashed, filling his sight to momentarily blind him and he suddenly found himself in darkness._

_When he regained consciousness he found that there was something around him, some kind of room, but the walls were growing too tight and he needed to get out. He pushed out with his hands and feet but found himself laying on his plastron, and his hands didn't feel like hands. Well, he was supposed to be remembering his life as a baby turtle, so maybe this was his hatching? His thoughts were proven correct when he stretched his neck out and hit at the wall with his beak. A crack appeared, letting in some light. He tried again, the crack grew and more light flooded in. He tried again and again. The light blinded him so he closed his eyes and pushed his body forward. When his vision cleared Raph suddenly found himself thinking in his baby turtle self's mind._

_When the hatchling completely crawled from his egg he looked up and across a few mounds of sand. He saw a creature there. Just being born, he labeled this creature as an equal. He crawled forward, not really with much thought, just on instinct really. This creature glanced back at him and for a second it appeared aggressive, hostile, like it would strike him but then something flashed in its eyes and it stumbled forward, walking towards the younger turtle, that was still trying to completely gain the use of its legs._

_When they came face to face the younger was ready to retreat back into his shell, for this creature was bigger, it could hurt him. His instincts were yelling at him to run, but as the older drew closer he found himself frozen, would he be hurt? Finally, this grassy green skinned, shell backed creature stretched his neck out and lightly touched his beak to the top of the younger's head. Raph suddenly blinked and found himself looking down at the scene. He smiled without truly realizing it as his young turtle self curled up next to his older brother and slept silently, while the older turtle watched the other eggs. _

_Waiting…_

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* * *

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Ok, next is Donatello's memories.

See ya!

~Moonsetta


	5. Chapter 5

Ok, now it's Donny's turn.

Sigh, I don't own TMNT. But I do own a turtle!

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Don was questioning connections between mysticism and physics when he found himself in a lab full of scientists. For a moment he feared discovery but a couple of scientists walked right through him. This action reminded him that this was a memory. So he breathed a sigh of relief and glanced around at the technology, it wasn't really that advanced so it couldn't have been too current considering how fast technology was advancing.

_A shout made him turn and glance up to where a guy in an orange shirt and overalls was hanging from a wire so he could operate on a sparking panel some 3o feet above Don's head. The purp0le clad turtle teen knew he couldn't get hurt by a memory but it still made him quite self conscious. The last thing he needed was something falling out of the wall and through him. When the scientists walked through him he found it creepy enough. _

_A beep caught his attention as a an elderly, gray haired woman looked at a blinking red dot on a large container in the middle of the room._

"_Josh come here, the next one is beginning to hatch." she called over to a black hair, blued eyed scientist._

_The man scurried over, "The reports with the first hatching were excellent Mrs. Rodsen."_

"_He will be quite a strong being," the woman said before gasping as she looked down into the container when the top slid away to reveal a large incubator."_

"_Wow," Don breathed and walked over to it. _

_He glanced down and saw two eggs sitting near the center of the small sand environment. Not far away were two turtles. One was watching a moving egg intently while the other one appeared to blink, as if he had just woken up. A crack appeared in the egg and then, everything went black for the purple banded turtle._

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Ok, Don's story kind of continues on in Mikey's chapter so just wait for another two days for an update.

I just LOVE reviews! Oh and you can yell at me too if you want.

~Moonsetta


	6. Chapter 6

Wow, I can't believe people like this old story. Everyone can relax, this story is already done, it's just that me and my parents are running back and forth between my house and the hospital so I never get much time on here to post anything.

Well, onto the story! I don't own TMNT...T_T WAH!

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Mikey was excited, although at the same time he felt a little indifferent. It was altogether strange. Sure, they had long ago agreed that they would always be brothers, no matter what DNA said but Don had been quite confused. They had all just assumed at first that they had been born and raised at a turtle farm but if they had come from a scientific facility-

_The orange banded turtle's thoughts were cut off when the white color surrounding him, cleared and revealed the thin outlining into a laboratory of some kind._

"_I bet Donny would like this place," Mikey thought, glancing around at all of the busy scientists in white lab coats. Suddenly, everything went black. _

_When the turtle reopened his eyes he found he wasn't quite the same. Something was jammed against his skull and it was very uncomfortable! He applied pressure against the wall and felt it shatter underneath his skull. He tumbled forward and landed on his shell. Now, no turtle liked to be on his shell and Mikey was no exception. The young turtle struggled for five minutes against the sand before he paused and looked around. The first thing he realized is that the thing had broken out of was an egg and he currently an average, baby turtle. _

_Still mire curious he bent his head back into the sand and looked further around. A grassy green and dark green skinned turtles were laying next to one another, looking at him. A third young turtle was beside the youngest, looking down at him curiously. The littlest turtle seemed to smile and beckon the larger turtle a little closer. When in range, the little turtle snipped at the older turtle's head. The elder turtle jumped and then slunk away behind the hatched out egg._

_Confusion clouding the mind of the youngest, the little one turned himself back onto his feet then walked behind his egg, looking expectantly at the larger turtle. He seemed to ask:_

"_Friend? Family? Brother?"_

_The elder trembled and stepped further away and cried out silently when the two larger turtles joined the smallest turtle. The youngest shuffled forward and touched his beak to the side of the olive skinned turtle's head. The said turtle stiffened at the touch but after a few seconds, he relaxed allowing the two largest turtles to lay down beside him as well, surrounding the two of them, protecting them._

_A white light filled the youngest turtle's vision and he found himself back at the lab, in front of a large container of some sorts. He glanced inside and smiled as he saw a group of four baby turtles curled up together._

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Well, ok that's Mikey's memories. What happens next? Oh wait, I already know and you guys don't! Ha!

Ok, all joking aside I'll update in two days time. That's the next time I'll be home from the hospital.

~Moonsetta


	7. Chapter 7

Look! It's an update! Aren't you happy?

*Flips coin into the air* If it's tails I own the ninja turtles!

Heads

Heads

Heads

*Growls and throws two headed coin down the drain.*

* * *

Raph, Donny and Mikey snapped back into reality as the same memory appeared in their minds.

_A hand reached down and darkness overcame them._

"Whoa," Mikey breathed, "How cool was that?"

"So that's the lab we came from," Don said, his laptop seeming to automatically appear in his hands.

"Donatello," Splinter reprimanded.

The purple banded turtle smiled sheepishly and placed the laptop behind hid back.

"Hey, where's Leo?" Raph asked after he looked beside him to see that his older brother wasn't sitting beside him as he had been previously before they began their meditation.

"Leonardo reflected on his day and has left for a training run on the south side of the city," Splinter answered.

"Reflected on his day?" Don asked in confusion.

"How long ago?" Raphael demanded, jumping to his feet.

"About an hour ago I believe. He said that he-"

Splinter didn't get to finish his sentence because his hotheaded son was already out the door.

Mikey and Donny just shook their heads with exasperated sighs. Yeah, Raph had made it a fact now that Leo alone and training run equaled disaster.

"Does he always have to do that?" Mikey asked, "I'm still spooked about what happened to Leo too, but Raph's just gone crazy."

"Raphael is simply protective of his family," Splinter answered calmly as he climbed to his feet.

"I thought that was Leo," Mikey said with a blink.

Don got to his feet, turned and held out a hand to his younger brother, "That is Leo. They're both like that. Leo's overprotective but Raph's over-possessive."

Mikey appeared to think it through for a moment before taking the offered hand and being pulled to his feet, "I guess you're right. Should we go after them?"

"I believe that they will be fine my sons," the elderly rat said.

* * *

Raph jumped across the rooftop, a strange tingling going through the back of his skull. No, it wasn't a warning that anyone his family was in danger just, sort a distant calling in his memory. He shook it off and took out his shell cell, switching to the tracker Don had installed into each of them. He found Leonardo's signal easily. He was at the corner of Mainstream and Northtide. Not too far from their home. When the red clad turtle finally landed on the rooftop and spotted his older brother sitting on the edge of the rooftop he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Anything wrong?" Leo suddenly asked, making Raph jump.

The red clad turtle growled, "Why do you always do that?"

The blue clad turtle turned and flashed a smile at his younger brother, "Because it's too easy."

Raph grumbled but tucked his shell cell back into his belt, made his way across the rooftop and sat next to Leo, both of them staring out silently over the brightly lightened city.

"We all found our memories," Raph muttered.

"Was it what you expected?" Leo asked, although he seemed distracted by something distant in the sky.

"Sort of," Raph replied and couldn't help but let the corner of his mouth move upward into a sly, but relaxed smile. There was something about those memories that made you feel like a kid again. You just had to smile. Then a more recent memory came into Raph's mind. He turned his head, scowled and glared at Leo.

"What's wrong Raph?" Leo asked, the blue clad turtle's eyes directly on him.

"You know I don't like you going on your training runs alone, especially since Karai's had her little soldiers scouting the city like crazy!"

"Careful Raphael, you're starting to sound like me," the eldest said, closing his eyes and smiling a sideways smile.

"Shut it Fearless!"

Leo laughed and leaned back before laying down flat against the rooftop to stare up at the starless sky and gaze at the rare orange shaded harvest moon.

"So what happened with you?" Raph asked.

Leo looked to Raph with a confused expression, "What do you mean?"

"At first, we were ALL meditating, but when we came to you were gone."

"Oh, that," Leo said while closing his eyes and sitting up again, "I found out my memories a little over a year ago. That's the reason I didn't want to see that paper, I already knew it all."

"You knew it all this time!"

"Yep," Leo said with a proud smile.

Raph's eyes sparked, "But did you know-"

"Yes," Leo said quickly and quietly.

"Then how did you-"

"That's for me to know."

"WHAT!"

"I don't want to tell you."

Raph crossed his arms over his chest, a sure sign that he was getting irritated, and glared, "Look Fearless I agree with what you said before, but everything's already out so why don't you just spill how you got put with us in that lab?"

Leo narrowed his eyes in his own form of a glare before getting to his feet and walking to the other side of the building. Raph's glaring expression grew curious, "Leo?"

The red clad turtle rose to his feet and walked up behind his older brother, "Well?"

"It's for me to know," Leo said sternly.

"So you're not going to tell me is that it?" Raph said, his voice rising in pitch.

"Exactly," Leo said with a smirk before jumping into the alley below, "Race ya home!"

Raph gritted his teeth as Leo appeared down an opened manhole. He narrowed his own eyes in determination. He WOULD find out what happened.

Oh-and there was no way he was going to let Leo beat him home.

* * *

Ok, that's it. I've been thinking of pushing back the updating days and only updating every 3 days. It depends when we can stop running back and forth between the hospital, home and in my case, school. Unless I catch another cold.

~Moonsetta


	8. Author's Note

Yeah, sorry but this is just an author's note. I have decided to end Old and Young with that last chapter. Yes I can hear the groans and disappointed sighs as well as the cursing thoughts. How dare I end this story there! Sorry, but you'll have to look for the sequel:

One and Three

Yes, the title has significance to the story. The reason I'm ending this story here is that I'm currently writing so many stories, there's some stories I haven't even gotten to yet.

MillionDollarNinja if you're reading this, I'm sorry but I'm too caught up with two other collab stories and my own and school of course to have any significant amount of free time to work on our own collab story. When I'm finished with one of the collabs maybe I'll have more time. I'M REALLY SORRY.

Well, readers, I hope you liked the story and will anxiously await the next story and yes there will be answers. Again I'm sorry about ending it there, but I've just got so much to do. Plus, this is a very irritating but interesting stopping point.

Ok, look out for the sequel and while I'm here, I'll ask a question. I don't have much confidence in my writing, as everyone must know by now, but along with stories of the turtles I do have poems. Should I upload them?

I'll eagerly be waiting your opinions.

~Moonsettta


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